The sensation
of auditory binaural beats occurs when two coherent sounds of nearly similar frequencies
are presented one to each ear with stereo headphones or speakers.
The
brain integrates the two signals, producing a sensation of a third sound called
the binaural beat.
Binaural
beats originate in the brainstem's superior olivary nucleus, the site of contralateral
integration of auditory input.
The
binaural beat is neurologically conveyed to the reticular formation which uses
neurotransmitters to initiate changes in brain-wave activity.
